Do you offer personal tutoring?
Sadly, no. I want to teach as many beginners as possible, and Ctrl+Paint is my best way of accomplishing that goal. If I spend three or four hours creating a video or homework assignment, I’d prefer that it can be viewed by thousands of beginners instead of a single student.
Will you review my portfolio?
No. I wish this were not the case, because portfolio reviews are so valuable, but I'm unable to give each one the attention it deserves. This is one of the compromises I've needed to make in order to keep Ctrl+Paint a one-man operation.
When I buy a premium series, how do I get the videos?
As part of the check out process, you'll need to enter an email address. As soon as the money goes through (usually within minutes), you'll receive an automated email with download instructions and a link. If there are any issues with this, feel free to email me and I'll get it sorted out.
Can I draw with a mouse, or do I need a Stylus?
You need a stylus! Pressure sensitivity is essential for the techniques shown on Ctrl+Paint, and a mouse does not offer this feature. I recommend Wacom tablets, and even their cheapest offering has all the functionality you'll need for basic painting.
Am I too old to start painting?
Absolutely not. Many famous painters began in other careers and shifted into the arts much later in life. Artwork is a very personal journey and everyone learns at their own pace. If art is your passion, do it. If you do it a lot, you never know what might happen… maybe even a new career!
What should I draw? I don't have any motivation.
There’s no perfect solution to this, but my best advice is to think of things in terms of goals. If you have a list of big and medium goals, you can break them down into bite sized ‘studies’. Then when you have free time, and want to paint, just refer to your list of studies! This way you don’t need to wait for some divine inspiration to strike you. Finally, I’ve made a video on the subject which you can watch here (Spoiler: you probably won’t be struck by a divine bolt of inspiration.)
How do I get a job as a concept artist?
From my experience the most important thing is your portfolio. If you can make the work that a studio needs, they will probably give you an interview. Where you went to school is much less important than your artwork and your personality. No one likes working with rock stars.
Why is the site asking me to Log-in?
The short version is: you don't need to. It's only for commenting, and doesn't give special access to anything. The longer version is summed up in this blog post.
Still have questions? Feel free to send me an email. Remember that I'm reading each email personally, so please keep them concise and on-topic. Thanks!
Matt Kohr
CtrlPaint (at) gmail (dot) com